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Picture Of The Month



Swede P's first AOTY fish is a bruiser!

Topic: Rigging new boats - questions  (Read 3048 times)

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3weight

  • Krill
  • *
  • Location: Warren
  • Date Registered: Mar 2021
  • Posts: 15
I feel like I need to ask every question with a "ya know, back in my day...." old-man's voice.

I held on to most of our personal gear from our old kayaks and whitewater rafting days (paddling PFD's, wet suits, splash tops, neoprene booties, etc...) but I will need new paddles, rod holders, flags, etc... for the new boats (and eventually I'll need to rig a fish finder for mine).  I still have my old milk crates.

For paddles, is there something in the $100-150 range I should look at beyond the Bending Branches Angler Classic? 

Are the Scotty "Gearhead" rod mounts a good choice?  I've got a dozen Scotty rod holders laying around, and the Old Towns come w/ tracks pre-installed, so I want to use those vs. bolting something on like we did in the old days.  Is there something better?

For a flag, I am planning to just attach a fiberglass ski flag type deal to a wooden dowel, and use it in a rod holder.  Any reason to invest in something fancier?

Any other suggestions of stuff I should look at/invest in?


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
The "gearhead" mounts are pretty weak, at least the single post ones.  They rotate very easy under load.   Stealth rod holders makes a 2 point mount that is compatible with Scotty posts. Yakattack used to make a (rather spendy) adapter kit to mount a standard 4 bolt rod holder mount on track.  Doesnt look like they make that any more.  A variety of companies/individuals make a similar adapter plate that makes a 4 bolt surface mount rod socket into a 2 bolt track mount.    From what I have read, if you are reasonably handy its not the hardest thing to make out of some cutting board material or aluminum. 


Oldhammer

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Eugene
  • Date Registered: Jan 2021
  • Posts: 41
I paddle and fish from an inflatable sea eagle and am really happy with the Back Water Assassin paddle.  I find it really comfortable and like that it doubles as a useful tool as well as a potentially lethal weapon. 
https://www.austinkayak.com/Backwater-Paddles-Assassin-Carbon-Fiber-Hybrid-Paddle/ACK24871P.html

Count yourself lucky on the arrival of your Kayak...I am still waiting on my Bigwater pdl ordered in January...it was supposed to be in this most recent shipment at Next Adventure but was told they did not receive any of the Bigwaters they ordered and Oldtown is now estimating a early to mid-April shipping date. 


3weight

  • Krill
  • *
  • Location: Warren
  • Date Registered: Mar 2021
  • Posts: 15
Yah, when my wife and I decided we wanted to get new boats, I started doing some research and was shocked at the wait times.  I lucked into these... just stopped by Next Adventure to look at boats, and Adam looked the Old Town's up for me and found they had some not yet spoken for. 

I would have gone w/ two 120's, but one of the last two they had sold before I my ducks in a row and decided to go Old Town instead of Native.

Thanks for the guidance on rod holders and paddles.  What are the best choices for fish finders these days?  I've been looking at the cheap little 4" Garmins w/ GPS... any reason to consider Lowrance or Humminbird? 



Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
I feel like Garmin gets pretty universal love on this site and on ifish.  Thats for the echomap and up series though.  The stryker seems less than optimal since I am pretty sure you cant have a map on it, just GPS tracks.  Only downside on the garmin ones seems to be some of the map coverage if you want salt and freshwater since, as of last time I looked, Garmin still used bluechart packaging rather than Navionics packaging. 

I have the Hook2 5 doubleshot from lowrance.  Its fine. Bit slow, but works for the type of fishing I do.  If you just want basic depth data and GPS speed, then pretty much any unit with GPS would probably work fine. 


3weight

  • Krill
  • *
  • Location: Warren
  • Date Registered: Mar 2021
  • Posts: 15
I have higher end Garmin/Raymarine stuff on my tin can... I just can't bring myself to spend big $$ on kayak electronics, given the strong possibility (certainty?) it will eventually take a dunking. 

I would like detailed bottom maps, though.  I tried to snatch up a used Raymarine Dragonfly that was for sale on Ifish. I'm 2nd in line (hope the first guy bails!)  It has w/ Navionics Fish n Chips build in.


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
People complain about CS with lowrance but honestly my experience has been fine.  The hook series certainly isnt as nice as a garmin echomap, but for casual use seems fine to me.  Plus they can be very affordable. 


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
I like the Werner Skagit FG paddle.  It's taken a heck of a beating from prying some idiot off the side of a reef and still looks great.

Does anyone know if we still get a discount at Outdoor Play?
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


YakHunter

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Retired!
  • Location: Wyoming
  • Date Registered: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 514
The "gearhead" mounts are pretty weak, at least the single post ones.  They rotate very easy under load.   Stealth rod holders makes a 2 point mount that is compatible with Scotty posts. Yakattack used to make a (rather spendy) adapter kit to mount a standard 4 bolt rod holder mount on track.  Doesnt look like they make that any more.  A variety of companies/individuals make a similar adapter plate that makes a 4 bolt surface mount rod socket into a 2 bolt track mount.    From what I have read, if you are reasonably handy its not the hardest thing to make out of some cutting board material or aluminum.

I agree with Shin09 that the gearhead mounts are weak.  I also utilize scotty mounts and went with the DYI 2 point mount using a cutting board as the base.  Mine were long but I have attached a more compact version someone posted (after I had made mine of course).  Much more solid.
Hobie PA14
Hobie Outback
Hobie Adventure Island
Hobie Tandem Island
Jackson CudaHD
BlueSky 360 Angler


pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
I posted an explanation of how and why I made the rod holder bases shown in Yakhunter's post at https://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=13167.msg144750#msg144750.  I'm still using them, and have been quite happy with them.


BentRod

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: Issaquah
  • Date Registered: Mar 2016
  • Posts: 135
Nice job on the rod holder mod...I was just contemplating building something similar....This gives me confidence. 


pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
Stealth rod holders makes a 2 point mount that is compatible with Scotty posts.
The posts on Stealth rod holders have the same basic design as the posts on Scotty rod holders, and the Stealth two point rod holder mount is nicely designed.  However, the last time I checked, which was several years ago, the dimensions differed in several ways, so you couldn't use a Stealth rod holder in a Scotty base, or a Scotty rod holder in a Stealth base.  The description of Stealth's two point rod holder mount which is on Stealth's web page at https://www.stealthrodholders.com/collections/products/products/2-point-track-mount-coming-soon doesn't state that it is compatible with Sottty rod holders. The description of the two point rod holder mount which is on the Hammond's Fishing website at https://www.hammondsfishing.com/products/stealth-rod-holder-2-point-kayak-rail-mount?variant=20113626759241&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2019-03-24&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign  says  that it "Works with Harmony, Wilderness Systems, Native, Hobie and Scotty Gear Trac."  Cabelas' website says at https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/empty-100072013?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjLrS0Z_67wIVwiCtBh1ybwSYEAQYBSABEgKRrfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds says "This Stealth kayak mount works with Harmony, Wilderness Systems, Native, Hobie, and Scotty Gear," but I suspect that they accidentally left out the word "track."

A disadvantage of the Stealth two point rod holder is that it is a non-locking base, so you have to insert the rod holder part of the way into the base, rotate it into position, and then push it down the rest of the way, which is an inconvenient and finicky process.  And with that kind of base, there is a risk that when you get a bite and jerk your rod out of its rod holder, you'll pull the rod holder partly or entirely out of the base.  I have heard of people who pulled their rod holder entirely out of its base and lost it into the water.  I prefer Scotty's  locking side-deck mount, https://scotty.com/product/no-241l-locking-combination-side-or-deck-mount/.  To install a rod holder, you just push it straight down into the base in whatever orientation you want, and it locks in place and can't be accidentally pulled out.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2021, 10:12:17 PM by pmmpete »


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
100% agree with the big downside to the stealth being non-locking. I definitely have to be careful with mine when I pull up on the Folbe jr.  I actually lost the Stealth Rod holder becaue of that...I will say that Scotty posts fit just fine though.   Really dont understand why Scotty hasnt come out with a 2 point mount yet


YakHunter

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Retired!
  • Location: Wyoming
  • Date Registered: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 514
I posted an explanation of how and why I made the rod holder bases shown in Yakhunter's post at https://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=13167.msg144750#msg144750.  I'm still using them, and have been quite happy with them.

Thanks for posting the link.  I had the picture but couldn't find the post.
Hobie PA14
Hobie Outback
Hobie Adventure Island
Hobie Tandem Island
Jackson CudaHD
BlueSky 360 Angler


b0w_bender

  • Herring
  • **
  • Pat Moore - in Issaquah Wa.
  • Location: Issaquah Wa
  • Date Registered: Nov 2020
  • Posts: 24
The "gearhead" mounts are pretty weak, at least the single post ones.  They rotate very easy under load.   Stealth rod holders makes a 2 point mount that is compatible with Scotty posts. Yakattack used to make a (rather spendy) adapter kit to mount a standard 4 bolt rod holder mount on track.  Doesnt look like they make that any more.  A variety of companies/individuals make a similar adapter plate that makes a 4 bolt surface mount rod socket into a 2 bolt track mount.    From what I have read, if you are reasonably handy its not the hardest thing to make out of some cutting board material or aluminum.

I'm pretty much on board with all of this I too like the stealth rod holders and yes the dowel with a flag is perfectly adequate. In fact that's how we do it in my day...
"Experience" is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. 
If you teach a kid to Shoot or fish you will be rewarded with a lifetime of smiles.


 

anything